Truck body



Nov. 19, 1929. FONTAINE 1,736,074

' TRUCK BODY Filed Nov. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1929 R. A. FONTAINE1,736,074

TRUCK BODY Filed Nov. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 19, 1929. R. A.FONTAINE 1,736,074

TRUCK BODY Filed Nov. '7, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov 19, l Z9PATENT OFFICE ROBERT A. FOlNTAINE, OF MARTIN'SVILLE, VIRGINIA TRUCK BODYApplication filed November An important and more specific object of theinvention is to provide a carrier or container so constructed andarranged as to be detachably connected or engaged with a pal let onwhich rests a stack of bricks or similar articles, the carrier being ofsuch formation and embodying such structural characteristics that itwill maintain the stack intact while the device is lifted about by meansof a travelling or other crane or otherwise handled or transported.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carrier of suchconstruction that when engaged with an ordinary pallet, the latter willform the bottom closure for the carrier, the carrier itself having cranehook attaching means so located that when the carrier is lifted, whilecarrying a stack of bricks, the center of gravity will be at such apoint that the bricks will engage against the back of the carrier and bethereby held in proper stack form for storage or transportationpurposes, the carrier, being, however, capable of being deposited, atthe will of the operator, to bring its rear wall downwardly so that theweight of the bricks or other articles will be relieved from the pallet,thus permitting removal thereof and dumping of the carrier.

A still more specific object of the invention is the provision of acarrier embodying peculiar supporting means capable of being in- 5sorted beneath a pallet and having a very quickly and easily detachableconnection with the carrier itself for facilitating and ex- )oditing thework of engaging the carrier about a stack of bricks and subsequentlyremoving it, manually releasable tension 7, 1925. Serial nae-7,561.

means being also provided connected with the pallet engaging elements.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects and. advantages,such as simplicity and cheapness in manufacture, ease of handling and ageneral improvement of the art, the invention preferably consists in thecombination and arrangement of parts and the details of construction tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the carrier,

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the carrier,

Figure 3 is an elevation thereof looking into the open front and showingit engaged upon a stack of bricks,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a stack of bricks mounted on a pallet,this view also showing the pallet engaging elements,

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic side elevation illustrating the method ofusing the device,

Figure 5, is a continuation of Figure 5, and

Figure 5 is a continuation of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, I have shown the carrier,designated as a whole by the numeral 1, as comprising a preferablyelongated body including sides 2, a back wall 3 and a top 4, the frontand bottom or lower end being open. Quitenaturally this body may beconstructed of any suitable material though sheet steel is preferred andit is clearv that it may consist of any suitable number of Sheets orpieces riveted or otherwise secured together. The forward edges of thesides and top are reinforced by an angle bar or frame member 5 of anglebar construction riveted in place as shown at 6. If the frame member 5be in one piece it would be preferably of U-shape and it is soillustrated though there is no limitation in this respect as it mayconsist of a number of sections secured together. In a similar manner,the lower or open end of the body is reinforced by an angle bar or bars7 riveted as at 8 to the sheet or sheets forming the body. The upperrear edge is braced and stiffened by a reinforcing angle bar 9 rivetedat 10 to the back 3 and top 4. It is likewise preferable to provideother angle bars 11 which extend from the front to the back of the bodyand which are riveted to the top 4 as shown at 12 and to the upwardlyprojecting portions 13 of the sides 2 as indicated at,-14. It will beobserved that these extensions 13 are formed with holes 16 near the rearcorners for the reception of a transverse pipe or other tubular member17 provided for the purpose of facilitating handling of the body for useon a certain type of truck body for which I have obtained LettersPatent, the truck body mentioned being intended to be loaded by a systemwhich may be carried on by utilizing the carriers forming the subjectmatter of the present application. Near their forward corners the upwardextensions are formed with other holes 18 within which may be engagedcrane hooks 19 for hoisting purposes as will be explained.

When the body of the carrier is set upright upon the ground it isnecessary that the open bottom be spaced above the ground, and for thisreason I have illustrated foot members 20 and 21 riveted or otherwisesecured as at 22 to the angle bars 7. These foot members are preferablyof I-beam construction and those indicated at 20 may have their lowersurfaces straight or plane while those indicated at 21, located at therear corners are rounded oif or "curved as indicated at 23 so as topermit tilting of the carrier into either selected position when it isdeposited upon the ground or other surface.

The above described body is intended to be placed over a hack or stack24 of bricks or other block-like members while they are resting upon apallet 25. Ordinarily such pallets include a platform 26 equipped at itsunderside with beams or cleats 27, and in the present instance one cleatis represented as being spaced from one longitudinal edge of the palletor platform thereof. In the present instance the intention is that thepallet itself will form the end gate or closure for the open bottom ofthe body.

For connecting the pallet temporarily with the body 1, I make use ofelongated preferably tubular members 28 which may, in actual practice,be simply suitable lengths of pipe, which members are disposed beneaththe platform portion of the pallet and adjacent the cleats 27. Extendingtransversely through the end portions of these pipe members 28 are pins29 which project therebeyond at one end. It should of course beunderstood th at the members 28 might be solid with projections cast orotherwise formed thereon, such a structure being the equivalent of thatdisclosed. The means for coupling the members 28 to the body 1 isrepresented as comprising levers 30 pivoted, as shown at 31, betweenpairs of angle bars, brackets or the like 32 riveted at 33, or otherwisesuitably secured to the sides 2 of the body and preferably to the anglebars 7. The levers are of curved formation so that the intermediateportions thereof will lie against the sides of the body with the endsspaced away from the an arc of 90 to bring the pins 29 in transverserelation to the links or loops 37 so as to prevent accidental withdrawalof the members 28.

In the use of the device, it will be apparent that when it is desired tolift a hack or stack of bricks by means of the travelling or othercrane, the body 1 is placed over and about the stack 21 and the members28 are inserted beneath the pallet 25 and engaged through the pearshaped links or loops 37 while the levers 30 are in downwardly oroutwardly swung position. Of course the members 28 must be insertedthrough the loops or links while the pins or other similar elements 29are in upright position and subsequently to this the members 28 arepartially turned to bring the pins 29 into horizontal position. Thelevers 30 are, then forced upwardly or toward each other to draw themembers 28 firmly into place. By this means the pallet 25 will be lockedwith respect to the body 1 so as to form an end gate or bottom closuretherefor. A crane hook 19 or the like may then be engaged within eitherof the holes 18, or if a pair of hooks be employed they are engagedthrough both. When the device is subsequently lifted,

as indicated in Figure 1, it is quite clear that the center of gravitywill be such that the body enclosing the stack will be inclined with itsback wall tilted rearwardly and upwardly, the stack of bricks remaininggravitationally against the back wall 3. As the stack is enclosed it isapparent that it will remain intact and that none of the bricks can bedisplaced. When the device is subsequently lowered after having beentransported to the desired place the shoes or foot members 21 will firstengage the ground, whereupon the operator may tip the device eitherforwardly or rearwardly so that as lowering is continued the body may becaused to be deposited either in upright position, with the palletlowermost, or in horizontal position with the back 3 lowermost. Theupright position is proper when it is intended to leave the stack intactand in such an instance the levers 30 are moved downwardly-and outwardlyto relieve the tension on the 'n'iembers 28 so that they may bepartially turned and withdrawn from the loops or links 37, thusreleasing the pallet and permitting the body to be lifted oil and awayfrom the stack. In the construction of that the sides will not catch orhang 011 the I stack and disarrange any of the bricks. It

should also be noted that the shape of the levers and yokes is such thatthe weight of the stack on the palletwill tend to force the leversagainst the sides 2 of the body, there being consequently no danger ofdropping down of the pallet. Depositing of the device in horizontalposition upon its back is done only when it isdesired to dump the stack.Clearly when the device is in this position the pallet may be releasedand re moved so that upon subsequent hoisting of the body alone thestack of bricks will be dumped, their stacked order being of coursebroken.

To illustrate the utility and advantages of the device I have, inFigures 5, 5 and 5",

shown a series of steps in handling stacks of bricks. Referring to thesefigures the reference character 38 designates a brick kiln from whichthe stacks of bricks 24 are delivered along a gravity or other conveyor39. The numeral 40 designates an elevated trackway for a travellingcrane 41, and the reference characters 42 and 43 designate,respectively, a railroad car and a scow to be loaded with the stacks ofbricks. Assuming that it is desired to load stacks of bricks from thekiln on to the car 42, the carriers lare placed over the stacks 24 andthe crane 41 brought into play for lifting the stacks onto the car andit may be preferable to leave the carriers upon the stacks to avoiddisplacement of the stacks during transportation. If, however, it ismerely desired to place the stacks in storage as indicated at 44 inFigure 5, the carriers are disengaged from the stacks after they havebeen placed in the proper position. For loading the scow 43, with thestacks taken from the storage place 44, the carriers must of course bedisposed about the stacks so that hoisting and transporting may beaccomplished by means of the crane, the carriers containing the stacksbeing properly packed on the scow and the carriers being left inposition upon the stacks in the same manner as on a railroad car.

In Figure 5 I have illustrated the system of handling involved at theother end of the line in unloading the scow and at this point there is asimilar travelling crane structure for hoisting the carriers to aloading platform or the like 45 from which the carriers, containing thestacks, may be lifted onto a truck 46 such as that referred to above,which truck is here represented as having its own hoisting mechanism 47.a

In Figure 5 I have illustrated, dia ammatically, a building in thecourse 0 construction, an elevator or derrick 48 being mounted thereon.Assuming that the carriers containing stacks have been transported fromthe loading platform 45 to the scene of build -ing operations, thecarriers containing the stacks are unloaded from the truck 46 by meansof its own hoisting mechanism 47, and the carriers are then lifted bymeans of the elevator or derrick structure to that partof the buildingwhere the bricks are needed, at which point the carriers are depositedand tipped into horizontal position 'so that upon removal of the palletsand subsequent lifting of the carriers alone the stacks of bricks ma bedumped.

rom the foregoing description and an inspection of the drawings it willbe quite clear that I have thus provided an extremely efficient deviceby means of which stacks of bricks may be quickly and conveniently movedabout from place to place and handled as many times as necessary, evenunder the most adverse circumstances, while keeping the stacksabsolutely intact and in symmetrical arrangement upon the ordinarypallets. Obviously there will be a great saving of time and labor.

\Vhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention, it should be understood that the exact disclosure is merelyillustrative as the right is reserved to make all such changes in theactual details of construction and arrangement of parts as will notdepart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claimshereunto appended.

Having thus described the invention, I claim 1. Means-for holding intacta stack of bricks during transportation, the bricks being carried by aconventional pallet, comprising a carrier having its front and bottomopen adapted to be engaged upon and about the stack, and movable meansfor connecting the pallet to the body whereby the pallet will constitutea bottom closure.

2. Means for holding intact a stack of bricks during transportation, thebricks being carried by a conventional pallet, comprising a carrierhaving its front and bottom open adapted to be engaged upon and aboutthe stack, and removable means for con necting the pallet to the bodywhereby the allet will constitute a bottom closure, the body beingprovided with means for connection of a hoist therewith.

3. Means for holding intact a stack o bricks during transportation, thebricks -being carried by a conventional pallet, comits prising a carrierhaving its front and botprovided with a plurality of selectively usablemeans for connection of a hoist therewith at different points, thelocation of one of said means being adjacent the forward portion of thebody whereby the center of gravity of the load will be at a pointcausing the back of the body to be inclined upwardly and rearwardly toform a rest for one side of the stack, and the other of said means beinglocated adjacent the plane of the closed back. 4:- Means for holdingintact a stack of bricks during transportation, the bricks being carriedby a conventional pallet, comprising a carrier having its front andbottom open adapted to be engaged upon and about the stack, and meansfor connecting the pallet to the body whereby the pallet will constitutea bottom closure, the body having sides flaring throughout toward theopen front facilitating its engagement upon a stack.

5. Means for holding intact a stack of bricks during transportation, thebricks being carried by a pallet of platform formation having cleats atits underside, compris- 5 ing a carrier having its front and bottom openadapted to be engaged upon and about the stack, means for connecting thepallet to the body whereby the pallet will constitute a bottom closure,said means comprising members disposable beneath the pallet at the sidesof the cleats, and elements carried by the body for receiving saidmembers and drawing them bodily toward the body.

6. Means for holding intact a stack of bricks during transportation, thebricks being carried by a pallet, comprising a carrier having its frontand bottom open adapte-c to be engaged upon and about the stack, meansfor connecting the pallet to the body whereby the pallet will constitutea bottom closure, said means comprising tension devices mounted on thebody, depending elements connected with the tension devices, and membersinsertable beneath the pallet and insertable through 'said suspensionelements.

7. A carrier for bricks arranged in stack form upon a pallet, comprisinga body including a back, sides and a top, the body having itsfront andbottom open and being disposable about a stack in embracing relationthereto. means on the body for connection with a hoist mechanism, and"detachable lever operated means located at opposite sides of the bodyand separately operable for lockin the pallet to the body whereby thepallet will form a bottom closure.

8. A carrier for bricks arranged in stackform upon a pallet, comprisinga body including a back, sides and a top, the body having its front andbottom open and being disposable about a stack in embracing relationthereto, means on the body for connection with a hoist mechanism, meansfor locking the pallet to the body whereby the pallet will form a bottomclosure, comprising levers pivoted on the body, the levers, linkssuspended from the yokes, and members disposable transversely beneaththe pallet and engageable through said links.

9. A carrier for bricks arranged in stack form upon a pallet, comprisinga body including a back, sides and a top, the body having its front andbottom open and being dispos-' able about a stack in embracing relationthereto, means on the body for connection with a hoist mechanism, meansfor locking the pallet to the body whereby the pallet will form a bottomclosure, comprising levers pivoted on the body, yokes pivoted upon thelevers, links suspended from the yokes, members disposable transverselybeneath the pallet and en.-

yokes pivoted upon gageable through said links, and means for preventingwithdrawal of said members from the links.

10. A carrier for bricks arranged in stack form upon a pallet,comprising a body including a back, sides and a top and having its frontand bottom open, said body being disposable about a stack in embracingrelation thereto, and means for locking the pallet to the body to form abottom closure therefor, said means comprising a plurality of membersdisposable beneath the pallet to project beyond both sides thereof, andlever operated suspension means on the body at opposite sides thereofdetachably engageable with said members. j

11. Means for handling a stack of bricks resting upon a pallet,comprising a body member open at its bottom and adapted to beembracingly engaged about the stack, and means for securing the palletto the body to form a bottom closure therefor, said means compris ingmembers adapted to be inserted beneath the pallet and to project beyondboth sides of said body, suspension devices dependlng from the body anddetachably engageable with the ends of said members, and means forapplying 'tension to said suspension devices.

12. A brick carrier comprising a pallet adapted to have bricks stackedthereon, a body disposable about the stack of bricks and in-' cluding aback, sides and a topwith its front and bottom open. the sides beingprolonged upwardly beyond the top to define extensions,

said extensions being apertured near the open front to provide for theengagement of crane .hooks therewith, a transverse member extendingthrough said extensions near the closed back for attachment of aseparate hoisting mechanism, and means for locking said pallet to thebody to form a bottom closure therefor.

,13. A carrier for bricks arranged in stack form, comprising a alletupon which the bricks are stacked, a ody. disposable in embracingrelation to the bricks and includinga back, sides and a top and havingan open front and bottom, the body having hoist attaching means, andmeans for securin the pallet to form a bottom closure for the 'ody ofthe levers for maintaining the pallet immovable with respect to thebody.

14:. Means for holding mtact a stackof bricks during transportation, thebricks being carried bi a pal et, comprising a carrier equipped witsuspension means and having its front and bottom open, the carrier beingadapted to be engaged upon and about the stack, means disposabletransversely beneath the pallet, and means on the carrier connected withsaid transverse means for drawing the same and the pallet against thecarrier to form a bottom closure therefor.

15. A device for holding intact a, stack of bricks duringtransportation, the bricks being on a pallet, comprising a carrier openat its front and bottom and adapted to be embracingly enga ed upon andabout the stack, transverse mem ers extending beneath the pallet, andlever operated clamps on the carrier on- 0 gageable with said transversemembers'for holding the pallet against the carrier to form a bottomclosure therefor.

In testimonyzwhereof I 'aflix m signature.

OBERT A. FO TAINE.

